Africa breaks them and frees us”), something civilized men had irremediably lost (294). His occasionally harsh judgment of the Italians in the colony aims at guiding them toward becoming more complete individuals and more responsible citizens. In the political and existential search for self, Africa would enable Italians to fulfill a kind of manifest destiny, and Italy would reciprocate by bringing civilization to Africa. The African-themed works by Gabriele D’Annunzio and Tommaso Marinetti are overrun by a similar attempt to exoticize Africa in order to provide a contrast to Italian society.